Cement and other building materials shipped to hurricane-impacted islands in the Central and Southeast Bahamas. The supplies were stored at Arawak Port before being shipped via the HMBS Lawrence Major.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) shipped the first set of building supplies to start the re-building phase on three family islands impacted by Hurricane Joaquin last October. The supplies are being transported via the Royal Bahamas Defence Force vessel the HMBS Lawrence Major, on its maiden voyage to San Salvador, Long Island and Crooked Island.
The shipping of supplies comes on the heels of contracts issued to re-build houses on those islands for residents who lost homes during the passage of the Category 4 storm through the Central and Southeast Bahamas. The supplies were loaded onboard the newly-acquired vessel, which was berthed at the Arawak Port on Tuesday, February 16, 2016. Building materials included cement, blocks, and bundles of plywood; lumber, amongst other materials, household items and appliances.
Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell was pleased that the RBDF vessel came on stream in time to ship the building supplies to the specific areas. A mandate of the Defence Force is disaster response and recovery. He said NEMA, along with the National Repair and Reconstruction Unit, ensured that the materials were purchased and shipped to the designated islands so the rebuilding process could begin.
“Most certainly, residents are trying to bear with it, which is a systematic process (to restoring normalcy),” Captain Russell said.
Lt. Cmdr. Milton Munroe, commanding officer of the HMBS Lawrence Major, said he was pleased that he and his crew of 19 marines were able to carry out the RBDF mandate regarding disasters. Once the supplies reach the islands, they will be turned over to RBDF marines, the Family Island Administrator and the contractor.
By Lindsay Thompson - BIS
Lt. Cmdr. Milton Munroe, commanding officer of the HMBS Lawrence Major and Captain Stephen Russell Director, NEMA, inspect building materials before their shipment to Hurricane Joaquin impacted islands for rebuilding of homes.
Building materials for homes destroyed by Hurricane Joaquin in October 2015, loaded onto the HMBS Lawrence Major to be shipped to islands in the Central and Southeast Bahamas. (BIS Photos/Raymond A. Bethel, Sr.)
